


(Nothing I Do Can) Keep You Safe

by Vex_ation



Category: Pocket Monsters SPECIAL | Pokemon Adventures
Genre: Gen, PTSD, Panic Attacks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-06
Updated: 2020-03-06
Packaged: 2021-02-28 05:07:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 771
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22858258
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vex_ation/pseuds/Vex_ation
Summary: Ruby knows better than anyone how hard it is to suddenly be confronted with your past traumas-- so when Sapphire breaks down, he's right there to catch her.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 15





	(Nothing I Do Can) Keep You Safe

**Author's Note:**

> Listen they both have PTSD and Kusaka can rip this idea from my cold, dead hands

The moment Tucker's Salamence burst from its pokeball, Ruby suddenly and quietly leaned forward in his chair. His hands wrapped around the seat in front of him, white-knuckling the cheap plastic as the Salamence rose in the air with a steady beat of its wings. Sapphire stood still, her Blaziken looking back at her for a command. As Sapphire let out a shaky call and the battle began, Salamence reared its head and roared viciously at the sky. At the sound, Ruby got up and began to move as quickly as he could towards the stadium, knocking into people and vaulting over seats as he forced his way towards the door. Emerald didn't like to think himself the nosy one, yet something about Ruby's sudden eccentric behavior made him wonder what the hell he was doing. As stealthily as he could manage, he followed Ruby as the contest star made his way through the crowd and finally began to sprint as soon as he reached the open hallway.  
Emerald couldn't help but call after him, asking him what in the world he was doing, but Ruby didn't seem to hear him. Instead, he burst through the doors into the trainer waiting area, startling everyone there as he ran into the waiting tunnel. As soon as Emerald pushed open the doors to follow him, the stadium erupted in cheering.  
The battle was over already?  
As Emerald watched in stupefied amazement, Ruby's sudden anger went away like a blown out candle, calling out to Sapphire as she walked back to the waiting area. She stood tall, her face expressionless and shoulders back, while Ruby put his hand on her shoulder and whispered reassurances into her ear. Emerald couldn't help but scowl-- he thought she'd be stronger than that, being "the conquerer" and all, but if she was weak and he helped her deal with it, whatever.  
Emerald followed them to go back to his seat, annoyed at the waste of time. As soon as the doors shut behind them, Sapphire sunk to her knees and began to shake.  
"It's ok, I'm ok, you're safe, it's not real," Ruby said.  
Whatever Ruby was saying didn't seem to help, even as he knelt down to her level. Emerald just waited, too intrigued to go away at this point. Sapphire was just sitting there, on the ground, her nails digging into the floor. Even from where he stood, Emerald could see the heave of her chest, the tremors, the sweat dripping off her face. Ruby's voice was calm and steady, a soft mantra cutting through Sapphire's intermittent gasps.  
"Sapphire? Sapphire look at me, I'm ok. See? Take deep breaths, you're ok. We're ok."  
Sapphire opened her mouth to say something, choking on the words and shaking as she shook her head and tried to push herself to her feet.  
"Don't say anything," Ruby assured her. "You're safe. Do you know where we are?"  
Sapphire shook her head, trying to say something, anything, in response to Ruby's questions.  
"Sapphire? Sapphire we are in the battle frontier. Everything is ok, you are safe. You saw something that scared you, but we're safe. No one is going to hurt you. Ok? Do you want to hold my jacket?"  
Wordlessly, Ruby took off his jacket and handed it to Sapphire, whose breathing was getting a little less panicked as she clutched it for dear life. She dared to tilt her head up and look Ruby in the eyes-- and though she flinched away, Ruby called that progress. Slowly, he reached out, telling her how he was going to take her hand so they could go somewhere comfortable. Sapphire just stood up on shaking legs, her nails digging into her friend's skin as they slowly interlocked their fingers. After a moment of silence, Ruby whispered a question to her. She nodded as he pulled her into a hug-- slowly, gently-- and squeezed her tight, letting her calm herself down amidst his embrace.  
"Look, everything is ok. Can you feel me holding you? It's ok, you're safe."  
"Y- yes," Sapphire replied, her voice hesitant and far away. Ruby rubbed firm circles on her back, eventually breaking away and slowly leading her down the hall.  
"Let's get you some water, ok? You're safe."  
"I'm safe," Sapphire repeated.  
Emerald watched them go in silence, letting Ruby's voice and their footsteps fade as they disappeared into another room. As the announcement blared and the next match was called, Emerald was shaken out of his trance and quickly bounded back to the waiting area. Perhaps it was best to leave the two of them alone anyway.


End file.
